IF
by ReNeVIerE07
Summary: Kinda like 'The Perfect Quote for the Perfect Couple' Please read and Review! And also read the Author's note below the first chapter!
1. Chapter 1

_If you're not the one then why does my soul feel glad today?_

Cloud looks into the window. It was four in the morning. Too early to be waking up, yet he and Tifa was already alert and going. He sighed as the darkness of the night vanishes from the orange light from the rising of the sun.

His mind began to wonder… What if the sun wasn't supposed to rise, who'd light up when night is over? What if the past had overshadowed him, what would've happened to his future? What if he didn't decide to become SOLDIER, what would've become of his journey in life? What if…?

His thoughts were filled with ifs and should be results. Then his mind was shadowed with only one question, the rest forgotten. What if Tifa wasn't really the one? What if she wasn't supposed to be with him, or what if he wasn't the right one for her?

Panic surged into his veins. He has done countless failures, what if he wasn't worth gaining her heart? Her care and love? Memories of her smiles and her reassuring glances crowded his mind. His heart quickened, not wanting to wander more on such thoughts.

Then he heard humming and steps with a couple of movements in the kitchen. That's right; Tifa was in the kitchen, preparing for the opening of the bar and the family's breakfast. Without second thought, he stormed down to her while making sure his steps didn't disturb the kids.

As Tifa turns to scold Cloud not to run on the stairs, obviously he was the only other person awake; Cloud embraces her from behind her waist. Tifa's cheeks turned bright Red. His head leaned on her firm shoulders, inhaling her scent. His shaking nerves began to calm down.

"Cloud" Tifa turns, facing him. His hands were still on her waist. She places her forehead on his.

"Are you ok? Are you sick? I felt you shaking" She sighs a relief when he doesn't seem to have a fever "What's wrong?"

He looked directly into her eyes. She turned stiff and gave him a confused look. What was wrong with Cloud so early in the morning?

"Will you stay?" he asked. This caught Tifa by surprise. He lowers his head "I've made many wrong decisions…done countless of failures…yet you stay…"

Tifa wouldn't suppress the smile forming her lips as she heard his word. She leaned forward, placing her forehead against his once again.

"People make mistakes…its natural…" after a short pause "And those mistakes, won't make me go away from you"

That gave him a bit reassurance, and then he thought up another question.

"Am I worth it?" he asked, still in the same position. Tifa only giggled.

"If you weren't the one, who else would be worth it?" she asked.

"Someone who knows how to handle his family better" he counters. This got Tifa frowning at him. She races up his face, cupping it with her hands.

"Cloud, from here on out, no one else is worth it but you" she smiled. He felt a huge burden slowly lifted off.

"But I'm hard to handle" he said, a small smile on his lips. Without a second thought, Tifa gave him a peck on the lips.

"I can handle you" she said.

"Why?"

"Because you're worth everything I am" she grinned. Cloud couldn't explain, but he felt deep in his soul, an unexplainable happiness.

"Mushy stuff in the morning…its still four thirty" someone states from the stairs.

The couple turned to see Denzel rubbing his eyes and yawning. He and Marlene were suppose to wake up by six, his hours ahead his waking hour.

"Too early to get up" Cloud said.

"I went to the little boy's room"

"Well, try to sleep again, the few hours left can help you grow" Tifa smiled. Denzel only nodded and went back to bed.

As Tifa continued to her work, Cloud gave her a glance and said in his thoughts…

'There's no doubt, she is the one. If she wasn't, I don't if there'll ever be any other…'

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><p>It felt some sort of lack…well anyways; this would be kind of like 'The Perfect Quote for the Perfect Couple' only with a slight twist. I have been watching and listening to this video for a year. Every time I see it, I turn to an overdosed Fan Girl! Please watch this Video uploaded by <strong>Strifegirl<strong> in YouTube! Link: .com/user/strifegirl?blend=8&ob=5#p/u/29/4qIgPW2lzOI


	2. Chapter 2

_If you're not the one, then why does my hand fit yours this way?_

_However, Cloud has decided on the matter a few days ago. His constant worrying still gets the best of him._

_What if she just said that to comfort him? What is she's just bearing him so that he would find a way to move on in life? What if she plans to leave him when he finally becomes ok?_

_His thoughts were shouting in his head, yet a small grumble managed to cut him of his crowded thoughts._

_"Cloud! You're doing it wrong!" Marlene said with a frown. Today was his day off. He agreed to play puzzle with Marlene while Tifa teaches some martial arts to Denzel. The little boy is getting quite a lot, asking him and Tifa alternately how to handle a sword and martial arts. Marlene made another statement before Cloud began his thought wondering again._

_"That piece doesn't fit there you know" she huffed. Cloud found his hand pressing a piece not meant for that part. Then his mind was wondering again._

_What if he really wasn't the piece for her? What if she is just forcing it to make him smile? What if?_

_Marlene gazed at Cloud, noticing his troubled expression. If she just tilts her head to see his eyes, she would find his emotions bursting. Depressed, guilt, and most of all broken._

_He began cursing under his breath; his thoughts were getting the best of him. He should really learn that what his thinking are silly. However, that does not fill the doubt it can be true._

_Marlene sighed, realizing she will not get him out of his daze if that little thing troubling him was not out of his system. She thought of the only solution she could think: Take him to Tifa._

_She pulled his shaking arm after she stood from where she just sat. Cloud looked at him; a confused look was hinted in his expression, at the same time, Marlene saw what was in his eyes. She smiled._

_"Time for your medication" she pulled him and he willingly stood. She led him to the backdoor where Tifa and Denzel were doing martial arts lessons._

_"Come on, you can do better" Tifa encouraged him. Denzel looked at his 'mother' determination to teach him was in her eyes and that was a lot of support. With a shout, he strikes the wood in her hands and broke it into two._

_"Good work!" Tifa grinned then went to him for a victory hug. Denzel obliged and hugged her back._

_"Were Sticky" he exclaimed with laugh._

_"And stinky" Marlene smiled as she managed to get herself and Cloud into the back door. His eyes were focused on Tifa._

_"Ok, that's enough for today, go take a bath" Tifa ordered which Denzel happily agreed to. He went to the door and noticed Cloud with a troubled face._

_"You ok Cloud?" he asked. Cloud still gazed at Tifa. Marlene decided to answer for him._

_"He needs his medication" she exclaimed. Denzel figured out what she meant right away._

_"Oh? Then he better have it right away" Tifa smiled. She took Cloud's hand into hers and pulled him to the couch. She turned to the two children with a wink "Alright, you guys upstairs, you have school tomorrow so you need to finish homework"_

_"Okay…." The said in unison, then headed up to the steps._

_Cloud gazed at his hand. It was entwined with Tifa's, just the way it has been for the whole time he can remember._

_"Now what's bothering you?" she asked, giving pressure to his hand._

_He gazed down at the puzzle piece he was holding a while ago, still at the wrong place. She followed his gaze, but could not seem to catch what his implying. With a sigh, she leaned down her head on his shoulder. Her hand still in his._

_"You know what? I'm a bit tired…wake me up when you found your voice" Tifa slowly entered the relaxation of sleep. Cloud gazed at her._

_"I…" before he could get off whatever in his system, Tifa cuts in._

_"You know, if you observe carefully, were a perfect piece fit together, don't you think?" she said it out of her thoughts as he was gazing at the puzzle. She did not even realize she hit the jackpot._

_Cloud's mind began clearing again. He gazed down at their entwined hands, perfectly fitted together. She heard comfortably on his shoulder. She was right, they fit perfectly._

_With a contented sigh, he leaned his head on hers, quite amazed how it was so comfortable being in this state. He too himself began to fall into sleep._

_On the stairs, two kids mischief began to spy._

_"Guess the medication worked" Denzel grinned. He was about to take a bath but thought of spying for a while._

_"Next time you and Tifa train, make sure you give Cloud when his actually fine" Marlene whispered. In the end, the puzzle was never done, even after how much he asked Tifa to buy it for her._

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><p><em>Please Review!<em>


	3. Chapter 3

_If you are not mine then why does your heart return my call?_

It was Cloud's day off and today Marlene had made him finish the puzzle with her. The Spiky haired man couldn't object since Marlene even asked Tifa to be witness of some kind of breach contract.

"Sign here and you agree to finish the puzzle with me on your day off" Marlene said the other day, handing Cloud a crayon written contract. Marlene hands him a black crayon and made him sign. Tifa was behind the little girl, a smirk on her face.

"Better sign it" she warned teasingly. Cloud gave her a smile of disbelief. He would laugh at such, yet he signed the piece of paper seriously and handed it to Marlene. The little girl beamed with joy and ran outside, preparing the puzzle pieces for tomorrow's playtime.

As the two were left alone, Cloud was rewarded with a peck on the lips.

"Good work on the agreement contract" she smiled.

"Where did she learn that?" Cloud asked, wondering if Marlene was growing up too fast.

"Well, the two does help me out sort your orders, and pretty much all of them have contracts" she patted his chest as she headed downstairs to prepare supper. At that point, Cloud had made a mental note to avoid making a mess by his room. He didn't seem to be fine with contracts being a base on the house. Especially if he was the one to always sign. Unfortunately, this little memo slipped his mind the moment his day off came.

Tifa was out with Denzel. Grocery was heavy, and since because of the contract, Tifa can't really get any help from Cloud, so Denzel volunteered instead.

This time, the two managed to finish the puzzle with much time to spare. Marlene was too cheerful at the result of effort from her and Cloud. She kept on gazing at the completed puzzle, examining each detail.

The picture formed was actually a blue and pink cookie man holding each other's hands. Both had smiles formed by sweet gum drops, while the background was a sweet land.

His mind suddenly wandered off to the clock as soon as the picture made him feel nauseous from all the sweets. It was well passed an hour and the two weren't still at home. This had made him feel worried.

He wanted to call, but knew Tifa wouldn't be able to answer with loads of groceries, and besides, she might think he didn't trust her strength.

Actually, everyone knows not to mess with Tifa. They know what she's capable of doing. He knows it pretty well, her strength. Yet sometimes he still worries about her.

A full hour and a half had already passed and the blonde hero was already going around, trying to do something. He would fill himself a glass of liquor and drained it down, wash the glass then place it back. He had done it three times which amused Marlene. The next was fixing up the mess around the house, though it was already fully furnished. Those spare clothes Cloud found a habit of just leaving around was taken cared for by him. This thoroughly amused the little girl who was sick of staring at her completed puzzle. It was obvious he was worried.

"I'm sure their fine" she reassured him. Cloud looked at her, a book in his hand and knew the little girl can see right through him. With a sigh of defeat, he landed on the couch, leaving the book to fall off his grasp.

Two hours had gone by and that just makes him worry even more. He wondered if now was a right time to call, but somehow even Gaia is preventing him since his phone was dead. He sighed in frustration.

'Just a call…just a call, Teef' his heart thumped as he kept calling through his thoughts, though it would be quite impossible for her to hear it. But, let's just say, Gaia wasn't actually against him. In a few minutes, the telephone rang.

Marlene didn't need to pick it up since Cloud came running to the phone.

"Hello?" Cloud spoke when he managed to get the phone.

"Hey" a familiar voice chirped. It was Tifa.

"Tifa? Where are you?" He didn't seem to control the worry in his voice because he heard her giggle by the end of the line.

"I just felt the sudden urge to call, were you worried?" she asked, although she knew he was already worried as it is. It seems that the two got caught up with a bit of bad luck that the grocery bag got a hole. They had to be careful other products weren't going to fall since they already had three wasted apples on the street. Another bad part of this is that the streets were bustling with people. Denzel almost got lost since he was pushed back with people.

"I guess you can reply to heart calls" he said as a chuckle escaped his lips.

"What?" Tifa asked, slightly confused. Cloud dismissed the thought and had volunteered to pick them up. Tifa agreed, but still couldn't quite decipher what he meant.


End file.
